1/2 EVOLUTION [CHAP. Ill 



Letter 113 the author ought to suffer. It rejoices me that you do not 

 object to the term. Hooker made the same remark that it 

 ought to have been " Variation and Natural Selection." Yet 

 with domestic productions, when selection is spoken of, 

 variation is always implied. But I entirely agree with your 

 and Hooker's remark. 



Have you begun regularly to write your book on the 

 antiquity of man ? l 



I do not agree with your remark that I make Natural 

 Selection do too much work. You will perhaps reply that 

 every man rides his hobby-horse to death ; and that I am in 

 the galloping state. 



Letter 114 To C. Lyell. 



15, Marine Parade, Eastbourne, Friday 5th [Oct., 1860]. 



I have two notes to thank you for, and I return 

 Wollaston. It has always seemed to me rather strange that 

 Forbes, Wollaston and Co. should argue, from the presence 

 of allied, and not identical species in islands, for the former 

 continuity of land. 



They argue, 1 suppose, from the species being allied in 

 different regions of the same continent, though specifically 

 distinct. But I think one might on the creative doctrine 

 argue with equal force in a directly reverse manner, and say 

 that, as species are so often markedly distinct, yet allied, on 

 islands, all our continents existed as islands first, and their 

 inhabitants were first created on these islands, and since 

 became mingled together, so as not to be so distinct as they 

 now generally are on islands. 



Letter 115 To H. G. Bronn. 



Down, Oct. sth [1860]. 



I ought to apologise for troubling you, but I have at last 

 carefully read your excellent criticisms on my book. 2 I 

 agree with much of them, and wholly with your final 

 sentence. The objections and difficulties which may be 

 urged against my view are indeed heavy enough almost to 

 break my back, but it is not yet broken ! You put very well 



1 Published in 1863. 



2 Bronn added critical remarks to his German translation of the 

 Origin : see Life and Letters, II., p. 279. 



